As the camera slides
over Las Vegas, we absorb a child's fantasy of hope in the night. Every
surface glitters with polish and gems, promising a magic realm full of
nobility and generosity. Once on the ground, however, we bump up against
life's ugly customers. All the patrons of the Shangri-La, for instance,
seem so bent on gain that loss always stands in the corner, ready with
sad commiseration.

This reality even possesses a name: Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy). His
face reveals sadness pouted down into the cheeks. His hair appears to
be a clothes brush someone left on his head accidentally. His clothes
leave no memory: nondescript and untailored, they simply accompany him
on depressing journeys. As a "Cooler," his job description reads, "Sit
down beside a gambler until he gives up."

So goes his talent:
His name sounds like "lose," and his presence brings the kiss of death.
Even he can't imagine kissing anybody who wouldn't yell, "Yuck!"

As false as his setting
remains, Bernie performs his job nobly. Thus arises irony: A good man
must be worth much more than the price of his suit. The best-dressed and
coifed gentleman in the Shangri-La depends on sadness itself to keep his
business in the black. Winners cannot be allowed to walk off with all
the overwrought lucre. The manager (Alec Baldwin) clings to poor Bernie
like his very own lucky charm.

Unbeknownst to the
schlemiel, his boss hires a waitress (Maria Bello) to keep him under his
thumb. This underhanded strategy boomerangs in the extreme. This movie
tests the coincidence of love and luck. Betting on seduction, Baldwin
loses when Maria falls for the only man she ever met who expects nothing
from her. Simultaneously, Baldwin fails because, with love in his pocket,
Bernie gains the capacity to laugh.

From the moment these
two lovers warm to each other, Las Vegas begins to release its power over
them. Despite apprehension, they then undertake a dangerous battle for
freedom. The Cooler pulls no punches as it rolls back the
glamour and unveils the enforcers who keep men and women more in love
with money than each other. When Bernie's son and new girlfriend become
the means for extortion, his life seems over -- again.

The battles of casinos
loom greater than any individual. So, his manager may value him as a natural
killjoy, but the boss of bosses listens to technical consultants. These
Harvard men know how to wedge themselves in -- and Bernie out.

Between hit men and
techies, what chance do human beings enjoy for a good day anywhere? The
test case of Bernie the Born Loser Who Finds Not Luck But Courage allows
wiggle room for hope to creep into life on the dark side. His dream girl
needs a good haircut too, but, when they discover mutual affection, their
odds leap exponentially. What good fortune to find this film. It sets
free spirits flying.